The south London borough of Croydon has become a popular filming location for Hollywood blockbusters, leveraging its urban landscape and brutalist architecture to double for Gotham City in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises and other gritty productions.
FilmFixer, which has managed logistics between film crews and local authorities since 2014, credits Croydon's versatility. Paige Neilson, film service manager at the Croydon Film Office, notes that the borough can resemble a New York street or a quaint English village within minutes.
Michelle Jenkins of Film London calls Croydon a "hidden gem," while its mix of Art Deco, brutalism, and green spaces has earned it the nickname "Little Manhattan." The 2023 film All of Us Strangers, shot in Croydon, inspired local film tours, with scenes filmed at director Andrew Haigh's childhood home.
Recent productions include Heads of State starring Idris Elba and John Cena, shot in the town centre. Film production has invested £2.6 billion into London's economy over four years, nearly double the impact of the pandemic and Hollywood strikes.
Croydon Council initially struggled to support film production, but according to FilmFixer founder Andrew Pavord, the council now enjoys its "time in the spotlight." However, US President Donald Trump's proposed 100% tax on films made outside the US could threaten future productions.
